Day Two of Denver promised good things too! We were headed to Colorado Springs for the day. I had asked Ethan if we could go there seeing as my dad spent several years attending the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Aside from John almost killing us in some near-death collisions on the interstate on the way....
We started off at the Air Force Academy. We stopped at some overlooks and although the displays should have been the stars of the show, Baby stole the spotlight when taking our picture. Not only was I amazed at her creativity, she once again proved how much influence a parent can have over a child. Notice how she pretends to put her phone in her non-existent back pocket! I wonder where she learned THAT?! ;-)
It wasn't lost on any of us that while outside, we saw several gliders flying overhead.
We then went into the visitor center and watched a video about "A Day in the Life of a Cadet". It was crazy, seeing what the cadets are required to do and thinking of my dad going through those same things. Too, it was a trip, seeing the places and events in the visitor center video that my own dad captured in real life on his 8mm camera. Not much has changed about the academy, so it was simple to think of Dad walking around the campus over 50 years ago. I tried really hard to hold back my emotions, because I knew if I opened even one gate, there would be a flood of tears, and I didn't really want that for the day.
I was struck by the Academy's motto which is posted just about everywhere. As posterity knows, my dad was involved in a large cheating scandal back in the 60's. He ended up being kicked out of the Academy during his senior year. My question is: was this motto created before or after the scandal?
The chapel was closed at the moment for a funeral, so we headed out to our next stop: LUNCH! As it turned out, there was a Scholtsky's not far, and since it IS one of my favorite eateries, I wanted to take full advantage. While my sandwich was a bit disappointing, the conversation wasn't.
Ethan has been offered a job with the Government Accountability Office in Washington DC. Aside from working for the State Department, it's basically his dream job. However, it pays very poorly for the first two probationary years, especially for a family of four. He has been torn ask to whether or not to take it, because it will mean a very meagre living for our little Kennedy family for a while. (As a side note, he also got an interview with the State of Michigan government, but it never came through with an offer.). After being on a military installation, we were all reminded of the very sweet life we had in the military, and Ethan especially was reminded of the legacy of military service that exists in my family. It looks like my children will not continue that legacy which makes us all a bit sad, I think, and it caused us to rethink what Ethan could do with his future. He's basically at a crossroads at the moment, and he and Rebecca want to make sure that they make the right choice. So while sitting outside in the beautiful Western sun, eating good food, we had a chance to talk it all through. Not that any decision was reached, but it was a good discussion.
So with that, we headed to The Garden of the Gods, a National Monument in Colorado Springs. It's actually one of the busiest national monuments, and the visitor center definitely wasn't large enough for all of the visitors! We didn't want to do any intensive hikes with the babies in tow (and the heat bearing down on us), so we chose an easy 2 mile hike. Even with the many people who had also chosen the easy hike, it was really beautiful. Big red rock fins protruding out of the ground. And Baby could run to her heart's delight.
I have to pause a moment and say how differently I look at Colorado in comparison to Utah. I really do hate Utah. The pollution, and the urbanity of it all. But Colorado seems to have worked it out. It was amazing to see how close the monument was to suburbia, and yet both could exist together. It just wasn't the rape of the earth as it seems to be in Utah. And crazy thing--I was still at high altitude (like I am in Utah) but I had no breathing issues. It's like the air is clean, or something. Hmmmm....
So afterwards, we headed back to the Academy to see if we could see the chapel. Little did we know that there would be an open courtyard on the way with statues of the planes that both of my grandfathers flew in WWII. Just seeing those and the memorial plaques on them brought up a discussion with Ethan again about why I feel how I do about patriotism. The new generation has lost a lot of those patriotic feelings, and the significance of singing the national anthem or putting our hands over our heart to salute the flag seem to be disappearing. But remembering what other men endured so that men today can live how they do is good for us.
So walking into the chapel, I felt like I was walking into a time warp. I'm sure the chapel hasn't changed much since my dad was there and sang there. It's difficult for me to imagine what my life might have been like had my dad been a part of it. But instead of focusing on that, I just tried to remember who he was and what I know about him, and I wanted to be thankful that I have the letters he wrote and the few memories that I do of him.
On the way out to the parking lot, some kind of water main was being purged or something, and there was water openly flowing down a wall. Baby wanted to go see it and play in it, but was told "no". However, the water was running down the curb and forming puddles. I do not kid you--I thought of my dad, and of his love of life. For the two weeks I spent with him when I was older, he was up for anything anytime. And he just never worried about the nonsense. My Gram used to tell me how much John is like my dad--just a general joie de vivre about new experiences and adventures. And when I saw that water, I knew what my dad would have done. He would have jumped in it with Baby, and so that's exactly what I did. I think I surprised everyone with soaking my shoes and water splashing all over Baby, but even though she was surprised, she didn't cry, but jumped right in with me.
And that is probably the best way I could have remembered my dad that day.
Aside from John almost killing us in some near-death collisions on the interstate on the way....
We started off at the Air Force Academy. We stopped at some overlooks and although the displays should have been the stars of the show, Baby stole the spotlight when taking our picture. Not only was I amazed at her creativity, she once again proved how much influence a parent can have over a child. Notice how she pretends to put her phone in her non-existent back pocket! I wonder where she learned THAT?! ;-)It wasn't lost on any of us that while outside, we saw several gliders flying overhead.
We then went into the visitor center and watched a video about "A Day in the Life of a Cadet". It was crazy, seeing what the cadets are required to do and thinking of my dad going through those same things. Too, it was a trip, seeing the places and events in the visitor center video that my own dad captured in real life on his 8mm camera. Not much has changed about the academy, so it was simple to think of Dad walking around the campus over 50 years ago. I tried really hard to hold back my emotions, because I knew if I opened even one gate, there would be a flood of tears, and I didn't really want that for the day.
I was struck by the Academy's motto which is posted just about everywhere. As posterity knows, my dad was involved in a large cheating scandal back in the 60's. He ended up being kicked out of the Academy during his senior year. My question is: was this motto created before or after the scandal?
 |
| There were some cadets showing off falcons, the mascot of the Academy. Baby obviously wasn't having anything to do with that bird. We definitely need to work with Baby about scared of so many things, spiders included! |
Ethan has been offered a job with the Government Accountability Office in Washington DC. Aside from working for the State Department, it's basically his dream job. However, it pays very poorly for the first two probationary years, especially for a family of four. He has been torn ask to whether or not to take it, because it will mean a very meagre living for our little Kennedy family for a while. (As a side note, he also got an interview with the State of Michigan government, but it never came through with an offer.). After being on a military installation, we were all reminded of the very sweet life we had in the military, and Ethan especially was reminded of the legacy of military service that exists in my family. It looks like my children will not continue that legacy which makes us all a bit sad, I think, and it caused us to rethink what Ethan could do with his future. He's basically at a crossroads at the moment, and he and Rebecca want to make sure that they make the right choice. So while sitting outside in the beautiful Western sun, eating good food, we had a chance to talk it all through. Not that any decision was reached, but it was a good discussion.
So with that, we headed to The Garden of the Gods, a National Monument in Colorado Springs. It's actually one of the busiest national monuments, and the visitor center definitely wasn't large enough for all of the visitors! We didn't want to do any intensive hikes with the babies in tow (and the heat bearing down on us), so we chose an easy 2 mile hike. Even with the many people who had also chosen the easy hike, it was really beautiful. Big red rock fins protruding out of the ground. And Baby could run to her heart's delight.
 |
| Poppie, prepping Brother to be a marathon runner someday ;-) |
I have to pause a moment and say how differently I look at Colorado in comparison to Utah. I really do hate Utah. The pollution, and the urbanity of it all. But Colorado seems to have worked it out. It was amazing to see how close the monument was to suburbia, and yet both could exist together. It just wasn't the rape of the earth as it seems to be in Utah. And crazy thing--I was still at high altitude (like I am in Utah) but I had no breathing issues. It's like the air is clean, or something. Hmmmm....So afterwards, we headed back to the Academy to see if we could see the chapel. Little did we know that there would be an open courtyard on the way with statues of the planes that both of my grandfathers flew in WWII. Just seeing those and the memorial plaques on them brought up a discussion with Ethan again about why I feel how I do about patriotism. The new generation has lost a lot of those patriotic feelings, and the significance of singing the national anthem or putting our hands over our heart to salute the flag seem to be disappearing. But remembering what other men endured so that men today can live how they do is good for us.
 |
| My Granddad McMillin was shot down over Germany while flying a P-47 Thunderbolt. |
So walking into the chapel, I felt like I was walking into a time warp. I'm sure the chapel hasn't changed much since my dad was there and sang there. It's difficult for me to imagine what my life might have been like had my dad been a part of it. But instead of focusing on that, I just tried to remember who he was and what I know about him, and I wanted to be thankful that I have the letters he wrote and the few memories that I do of him.
 |
| We were all here for you, Daddy. |
On the way out to the parking lot, some kind of water main was being purged or something, and there was water openly flowing down a wall. Baby wanted to go see it and play in it, but was told "no". However, the water was running down the curb and forming puddles. I do not kid you--I thought of my dad, and of his love of life. For the two weeks I spent with him when I was older, he was up for anything anytime. And he just never worried about the nonsense. My Gram used to tell me how much John is like my dad--just a general joie de vivre about new experiences and adventures. And when I saw that water, I knew what my dad would have done. He would have jumped in it with Baby, and so that's exactly what I did. I think I surprised everyone with soaking my shoes and water splashing all over Baby, but even though she was surprised, she didn't cry, but jumped right in with me.
And that is probably the best way I could have remembered my dad that day.
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